Posts » The Last Time Meditation
This may come as a surprise to you, but for years, sometimes more actively, sometimes taking a longer break, I’ve been an admirer and a stealth follower of Stoic philosophy.
I deliberately don’t talk about it, and this post is no different. It’s actually about something related but in fact much more universal, as you can clearly find its traits elsewhere.
It is a technique stoicism taught me, which I find truly powerful, so you may find it useful too.
It is called “The Last Time Meditation”, and was introduced to me by William B. Irvine via episode 4 of The Stoic Path series.
I find it immensely helpful in day-to-day life and it’s been giving me lots of internal joy over the years.
Here’s how it works.
Next time you do something you love doing, consider the fact it may be the last time in your life when you are doing it. You will feel sadness, but ultimately you have full control over seeing joy in it too. And if you only wish to see it, then you will.
Treasure that moment - it’s a joy coming from appreciating great value of where you are in your life.
It’s free and there for you to take it whenever you want.
It’s just a thought away.
As you may know I love picking wild mushrooms. Every time I visit the forest next to my family home, I recall my grandparents who loved picking mushrooms too. But at some point there were too old to do it again. The realization that I can still do it brings me joy - one day I’ll be incapable of doing it again. But since I never know when is the last time I will be picking mushrooms, I’ll do my best to appreciate the fact I can still do it when I’m doing it. So if by any chance you meet me in the forest, you may see me smiling and actually thinking at that moment: it’s great to be here, it’s great to be able to experience this one more time.
I often find myself contemplating other things too, like: driving a car, planting tomatoes, eating oatmeal, or even being able to think clearly.
It’s a habit these days. One I can do silently without notice. And it brings me some sadness but also lots of joy and appreciation.
For you it can be the last time going on holidays, walking your dog, or holding a hand of your loved one.
If it’s something you value, you can make the moment count.
Will you?
p.s. It can be the last time I’m writing a blog post. It’s clearly been joyful experience.